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Refueling started Tuesday night for the Cook Nuclear Power Plant’s Unit 2 reactor in southwest Michigan. The unit in Bridgman ran for 18 months at 100.6% capacity, including a 452 consecutive day run that fell 19 days shy of the unit’s record. Over the course of the outage, about 1,900 contracted workers will supplement the regular 1,198-person plant staff. This …

For the first time in I don’t know how many years, we missed the annual St. Joseph County Grange Fair. We always manage to make it over to the fair at least one or two times every fall. We were attending a Lions Leadership Forum, along with about 2500 of our best friends, in Overland Park, Kansas. We missed walking …

Only days remain until Michigan shoppers and retailers celebrate the first “Get Caught Blue-Handed” Day on Saturday, Oct. 5, as part of the annual Buy Nearby campaign launched earlier this year by Michigan Retailers Association (MRA). The celebration takes place in stores and communities all across the state. Michiganders are encouraged to go shopping nearby with friends and family and …

Fishing gear, a 10-foot kayak and other boating accessories were stolen from a cabin in Lockport Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department was called to a seasonal residence in the 57000 block of Holtom Road to investigate the incident, which occurred between Sept. 13 and 27. Details regarding access to the building were not provided in a department media …

A large amount of copper wire was stolen from farm equipment and grain bins at a site in the 29000 block of Brandt Road in Colon Township, according to state police. The incident, which possibly occurred within the past week, was reported Monday morning, according to authorities.

A 42-year-old Kalamazoo County man is headed to prison for killing his wife after an argument over cooking dinner. John Kovach of Comstock Township was sentenced to 18 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty on September 5 to second-degree murder and the felonious use of a firearm. Police found the body of 40-year old Nancy Kovach in the …

The society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) recently honored Rodney Chupp, CIC, of Chupp Insurance Agency in Sturgis for dedication and leadership in the insurance industry. Mr. Chupp was awarded a certificate of achievement, recognizing five consecutive years of active affiliation with the Society of CIC. The CIC designation carries commitment to advanced knowledge and customer service. The Society’s President, …

The August unemployment rate in St. Joseph County fell by more than two percent compared to the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 7.7 percent August unemployment rate was less than July’s 9.8 percent. The August 2013 unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percent less than the …

An attempt to break the world record for the most number of strollers pushed at the same time fell short Saturday. Nonetheless, organizers behind the event at Glen Oaks Community College said the effort was still a worthwhile affair. Amy Brauer, coordinator of the St. Joseph County Great Start Collaborative, said the attempt brought attention to nearly a dozen area …

Sturgis municipal officials said three new programs are being introduced as a result of the Generate Sturgis entrepreneurial forums earlier this year. A committee of 12 members has continued to meet since the Generate Sturgis sessions and has developed the programs BizCon, Business Boost and Buy Sturgis. Biz Con is a business conduit that will focus on events happening in …